A-B-A-Triblock and multiblock copolyesters prepared from ε-caprolactone, glycolide and l-lactide by means of bismuth subsalicylate

Bismuth (III) subsalicylate, a commercial drug, was used as catalyst for 1,4-butanediol-initiated copolymerizations of ε-caprolactone (εCL) and glycolide (GL). Telechelic copolyesters having two OH-endgroups and predominantly alternating sequences were obtained. These copolyesters are amorphous with glass transition temperatures (Tgs) below −30 °C. In a second series of polymerizations, in situ chain extension with l-lactide (LLA) was performed, whereby A-B-A triblock copolymers were obtained without significant transesterification between A- and B-blocks. Finally, these A-B-A triblock copolymers were transformed into multiblock copolymers by chain extension with 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate. The block copolymers were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, by viscosity, SEC and DSC measurements.